Fredericksburg Academy

This year's Language Department Award has two recipients.

According to Ms. Mai, Maahida Kaleem distinguished herself through years of perseverance in French and a willingness to push beyond the traditional curriculum. Her curiosity led her to become the only student in her cohort to pursue an Independent Study, exploring French literature, history, and language at a deeper level.

According to Señora Escotto, Savannah Stec exemplifies what it means to be a global citizen. A multilingual student who inspires others to appreciate different cultures, Savannah shares her experiences with younger students, embraces opportunities to connect communities, and approaches every aspect of language learning with dedication, positivity, and grace.

Congratulations to Maahida and Savannah on this well-deserved recognition.

JK and Kindergarten students recently welcomed local children’s author Andi Chitty to campus for a reading of her picture book, Waga-Laga Bugs, and it was one of those Lower School moments that reminds you how powerful a simple story can be.

The students listened closely and completely immersed themselves in the world of the book. More importantly, they were able to connect reading to a real person sitting right in front of them, someone who turned imagination and creativity into something tangible that could be shared with others.

At the Lower School level, creating joyful connections to reading is incredibly important. Bringing authors into the classroom helps students see books not just as assignments or lessons, but as something engaging and exciting. It also encourages curiosity and gives students the confidence to ask questions and participate in conversations about what they’re learning.

A special thank you to Andi for spending time with our youngest Falcons and for donating a copy of Waga-Laga Bugs to the FA library.

The Outstanding Athletes Award is presented to those student-athletes who have most advanced the athletic program of the Academy.

Some athletes contribute to their teams exclusively through sheer prowess and determination, others through leadership and enthusiasm, and still others through camaraderie and encouragement. Ellie does all of these.

In cross country, she’ll either finish first with a canyon-sized gap between herself and second place or sacrifice time and place to stay back with her teammates and bring out their best. In basketball, her speed allows her to make the steal and then race the length of the court for the layup. In soccer, she is scoring the goal, making the assist, and hustling back to help the defense.

At FA, she has been the quintessential game changer and general, sorely missed whenever she is injured or absent. Respected by teammates and feared by opponents, Ellie trains and competes according to the mantra, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

Her accomplishments speak for themselves. In cross country, she earned GPAC Runner of the Year and All-State honors. In basketball, she was named First Team All-Conference, and in soccer she is a GPAC Co-Player of the Year.

For the excellence she has demonstrated, the leadership she has provided, and the standard she has set for those around her, we are proud to recognize Ellie Cymrot as this year’s Outstanding Athlete.

The Outstanding Athletes Award is presented to those student-athletes who have most advanced the athletic program of the Academy.

Theo’s lighthearted and laconic demeanor masks a rare combination of skill, confidence, and tenacity that makes him a standout on the soccer and lacrosse fields. Whether fans watching from the sidelines or teammates watching on the field, it is not uncommon for them to silently ask themselves, “Did I just see that?”

In soccer, on defense, he’ll bait opponents by leaving his mark open by five yards and then close the distance in a heartbeat to intercept the pass or make the tackle and strip the ball. In lacrosse, everyone knows he wants to go right, but his lefty fakes and ability to capitalize on even a momentary hesitation allow him to drive and score righty. His highlight between-the-legs goal this season is a case in point. It never should have happened, and yet somehow, he made it happen.

Just as importantly, Theo’s teammates know they can count on him regardless of the score, the standings, or the circumstances. His talent may draw attention, but his steady support of those around him earns their respect.

For the countless moments that left teammates, opponents, and spectators wondering, “Did I just see that?”, and for the example he set through his commitment to his teams, we are proud to recognize Theo Blashford as this year’s Outstanding Athlete.

The Valedictorian Award is presented to the senior who, through scholarship and academic excellence, has earned the highest grade point average during their Upper School years. This year, that honor is shared by two students.

Our suspicion is that Kaden and Ellie have known all along that they were locked in the race for this honor, earning A after A in their courses while matching one another's Advanced Option and AP selections. What they may not have known is that we watched this race of academic titans at least as closely as they did. Their individual and collective excellence had us checking and rechecking transcripts and considering and reconsidering calculations. In the end, it became clear that Ellie’s perfection matched Kaden’s perfection, and the race was a dead heat. We are pleased to recognize them both for their tremendous achievement.

Perhaps more important than taking the toughest schedule FA has to offer and earning stellar grades, Ellie continued to grow as a learner and never stopped challenging herself. From her insistence on taking five academic and two arts courses for three years to her willingness to meet with teachers until she had fully internalized the material, Ellie demonstrated that she would settle for nothing less than making the most of every opportunity she had. Regardless of the situation, any question of taking on an additional challenge is a rhetorical one for Ellie because the answer is invariably, “Yes, of course.”

Kaden’s record of accomplishment is no less impressive. He, too, took the toughest schedule FA has to offer and earned stellar grades. He, too, never shied away from additional work nor settled for anything less than his best effort, including serving as the uncompromising Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook. When offered the option to finish with a 95, Kaden would still push for the 98. He understood that the extra hours translating Latin, completing practice Statistics problems, and redrafting English essays made him a more informed, more skilled, and more prepared student.

Though they arrived there by slightly different paths, both Ellie and Kaden demonstrated the same relentless commitment to excellence. We are proud to recognize Ellie Cymrot and Kaden Thrasher as this year’s co-valedictorians.

The Whitescarver Citizenship Award is presented to the outstanding school citizen who exemplifies the ideals of good citizenship and good sportsmanship in athletic endeavors, in the classroom, and in extracurricular activities. These students must demonstrate fairness, equity, and leadership in all relationships.

Ask any of Drew’s teachers and coaches, from Mr. Ramsey to Ms. McKeen, and they will say that they could not have taught their classes or run their teams without Drew. Known affectionately as the “other adult in the room,” Drew served in many ways as a student-teacher and player-coach. What makes Drew exceptional is that he served in this role without alienating those around him. He helped keep the Band, his classmates, his teammates, and his friends at least partially focused while earning their respect and trust.

Just as his teachers and coaches could rely on Drew to see situations from their perspective and help advance shared goals, his peers could rely on Drew to understand their concerns and work with them on their terms. What allows Drew to walk this fine line is his unimpeachable academic, athletic, and artistic character.

In the classroom, he is among the very top of his class in both effort and achievement. In soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, no one worked harder or played more selflessly. In Band, he put in the hours of practice and then some. In every arena, Drew earned the respect of those around him through his character, commitment, and example.

For the trust he has earned, the leadership he has demonstrated, and the respect he has cultivated across this community, we are proud to present the Whitescarver Citizenship Award to Drew Fischer.

What if school felt like a community instead of a system?

At Fredericksburg Academy, that can look like a sixth grader finding confidence through an advisory group that knows them well. It can look like older students mentoring younger Falcons, cheering them on in the hallways, or helping them prepare for a performance in the Reed Theater.

It looks like teachers who notice when a student suddenly becomes fascinated by science, poetry, coding, or photography, and who make space for that curiosity to grow.

It looks like students learning together on wooded trails, tending teaching gardens, collaborating on projects, performing onstage, and building friendships across grade levels.

Most importantly, it looks like students who feel known.

Because when children feel safe, supported, and connected to the people around them, they become more willing to take risks, ask questions, try new things, and discover who they are becoming.

At FA, relationships aren’t separate from learning. They’re what make meaningful learning possible.

The Betsy Hardy Leadership Award is presented to the student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, such as the quiet leadership that is often accomplished behind the scenes and without acclaim.

Although she served as the very public Student Government President this year and as a class representative on Honor Council for four years, Brynne's leadership has never been defined by titles. Instead, it has been defined by her consistent ability to elevate the people around her.

In field hockey and lacrosse, Brynne may not have been the MVP, but she was no less hardworking, no less supportive, and no less ready to step in, serving as the model teammate. In the arts, Brynne was Patsy to King Arthur and Rizzo to Sandy, a performer certainly lauded but not the one receiving the final round of applause. Yet she was no less hardworking, no less supportive, and no less ready to step in, serving as the model castmate.

On the Honor Council, Brynne understood when leadership required her to step forward and when it required her to step aside. She tempered her passion and voice to help ensure this year's Chair had the opportunity to lead in her own right. In her final comments to the Upper School last Thursday, Brynne reflected that her younger self would never have imagined being elected Student Government President. Yet ask her teammates, castmates, and schoolmates who has done the most to unite and elevate them over the last decade, and they will tell you exactly why she was elected.

For the example she has set, the support she has offered, and the countless ways she has strengthened this community, we are proud to present the Betsy Hardy Leadership Award to Brynne Hill.

Embryonic development can be a difficult concept to fully grasp from diagrams, textbook chapters, and vocabulary quizzes alone. That’s part of what made this experience so meaningful for FA middle school students, who spent weeks observing duck eggs in the classroom and eventually watching the biological processes they’d been studying unfold in real time.

As the ducklings began hatching, concepts that can feel abstract on paper suddenly became tangible and much easier to fully understand. It’s one thing to memorize stages of development for a test. It’s another thing entirely to witness them happening right in front of you.

In Middle School science teacher Mrs. Appleton’s classes, students weren’t just waiting for ducklings to arrive. They were honing observational and data collection skills while applying their understanding of biology from embryogenesis through the various stages of development. They worked collaboratively, strengthening communication, accountability, and cooperation as they monitored changes and documented what they observed along the way.

Experiences like this also help students build a stronger connection to the natural world. By bringing nature into the classroom and examining it closely, students develop a deeper appreciation for the environment and a clearer understanding of how science extends far beyond the pages of a textbook.

(Enjoy these photos of FA kindergarteners, who were treated to a very special, very gentle visit with Middle School’s newest celebrities, before the ducklings head off to their happily ever after farm life.)